Bautista building case to appear on Rookie of the Year ballot

The debate over American League Rookie of the Year is boiling down to Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman and Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez. Much of the field is evaporating. They could be one and two, though more than a month of the season remains.

The ballot distributed to qualified members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America holds three names.

Does Orioles reliever Félix Bautista belong on it?

“Yeah, he’s been unbelievable this year,” said first baseman Ryan Mountcastle.

“Absolutely,” said starter John Means.

“No doubt, no doubt,” said manager Brandon Hyde.

They're obviously a bit partial, but are they wrong?

Bautista broke camp with the Orioles and didn’t crumble, appearing in 55 games and recording a 1.68 ERA and 0.876 ERA in 53 2/3 innings. He’s averaging 5.2 hits per nine innings, 2.7 walks and 11.9 strikeouts. And he does it with a right arm that radiates intense heat.

The discarded Marlins minor leaguer has thrown 154 of 820 pitches (18.8 percent) at 100 mph or more, third-most in the American League according to Baseball Savant. He touched 103.1 mph on a wild pitch Tuesday night and drilled Eloy Jiménez on the left elbow at 102.3, removing the White Sox’s designated hitter from the game and last night’s lineup.

“When he threw that (first) pitch, I was just like, ‘That doesn’t look like it’s fun to face.’ Then he hit Eloy and I was like, ‘I can’t imagine what that feels like,’” Mountcastle said.

“He’s a presence on the mound. That’s for sure. And it probably wouldn’t be a fun at-bat.”

Bautista settled down and struck out José Abreu with the count full, his fastball rising out of the zone at 100.8 mph.

“The special part is nothing gets to that guy,” Means said. “He hit Eloy, obviously not on purpose, but sometimes rookies do that to an established guy like Jiménez, they get a little timid, and he went right back after Abreu. And that right there just kind of puts it in a nutshell.

“He doesn’t let anything get to him. He takes the closer role and embraces it and goes out there and does his job.”

Bautista’s entrances are a show. He’s the rock star stepping onto the stage, except Omar’s whistle from “The Wire” marks his introduction, followed by the flashing lights and hype video.

The crowd roars, the opponents stare, and Bautista blows away hitters.  

“I can tell you it doesn’t make any sense, but it does make sense. Just look at the guy. He’s an alien,” Means said.

“The whole dugout just gets giddy when he comes in the game. It’s so funny to watch. Everybody has a smile on their face. The thing they do with the lights is so cool. It’s an event.”

And a rousing success.

Bautista is six-for-six in save opportunities, with a 1.74 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings, since the Orioles traded closer Jorge López to the Twins on Aug. 2 and changed the rookie’s role.

I always check the opponents’ reaction to the accoutrements that go with Bautista’s appearances at home. Whether they’re amused or irritated. Whether there’s a visible motivation to make him pay for it.

“Me, too. That’s what I was thinking, too,” Means said.

“I’m like, OK, here’s a little bit more of a platform, a little bit more of a platform, and he just goes out there and does his job every single night. Here’s 102, and then a 90 mph splitter.”

Here’s also the hug from his catcher after the final out, as the Orioles begin to form a handshake line.

The Orioles owned the Rookie of the Year ballot in 1960, with Ron Hansen receiving 92 percent of the votes, Chuck Estrada four percent and Jim Gentile four percent. A clean sweep.

Rodrigo López and Jorge Julio were second and third, respectively, in 2002.

Curt Blefary finished first in 1965 with 60 percent of the votes, followed by the Angels’ Marcelino López with 40 percent.

I remember tracking the 1973 award because outfielders Al Bumbry and Richie Coggins appeared to have a shot at finishing one-two. Bumbry won it with 54 percent of the votes, including 13 for first place. Coggins was sixth with four percent, but he received one first-place vote.

Their careers veered in opposite directions, but I’ll always associate them with one another.

Future Hall of Famer Eddie Murray won it in 1977, earning three more first-place votes than Athletics outfielder Mitchell Page. Cal Ripken Jr. ran away with it in 1982. Mike Boddicker was third the following year, and Mike Young was fifth in 1984.

OK, this is exhausting. Let’s fast forward to 1989, with Gregg Olson the last Oriole to win Rookie of the Year, and the first reliever in the American League, after receiving 26 of 28 first-place votes. Third baseman Craig Worthington was fourth.

Trey Mancini finished third in 2017 behind Aaron Judge and Andrew Benintendi. Means was second in 2019, the first Oriole to be runner-up since López. Mountcastle finished third last year.

Gunnar Henderson, Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall can fight over it next year. Maybe Jordan Westburg, too. The pipeline could flood the roster with more prospects.

Can Bautista join Rutschman as a finalist this year, maybe squeezing past a group of candidates that, at various points and odds this season, has included Joe Ryan, Jeremy Peña, Bobby Witt Jr. and Jhoan Duran?

“He’s been up here the whole year, so he’s got the numbers, he’s got the innings,” Mountcastle said. “I think he’s got a good shot.”

“I think especially if we’re in the playoffs this year, he should be top three, if not one or two,” Means said. “He’s one of the best closers, if not the best closer in the game right now. Maybe just behind Díaz.”

“What he’s done this year has been unbelievable,” Hyde said, “and it’s nice to turn on the TV and see people talking about him nationally. And rightfully so, because this guy has been a force this year, a huge reason why our bullpen has been one of the best in baseball. He’s changed roles and continued to pitch well, and we’re so happy and proud of him.”

One of my tasks as BBWAA chairman of the Baltimore-Washington chapter is assigning two voters for each award in the American League and National League. I didn’t want Rookie of the Year because of the possible conflict with Rutschman, a lose-lose proposition.

Vote for him and you’re a homer. Vote against him and you’re something unprintable.

I chose Manager of the Year, figuring that I’d stay away from it in 2023.

How did that turn out?